Abstract Book of the 8th International Conference on Research in Management
Year: 2025
[PDF]
Control Points in Corporate Crises: When Micromanagement Becomes an Asset
Andrian Gaju
ABSTRACT:
Corporate crises like financial fraud, product recalls, and cybersecurity breaches require precise and coordinated responses to mitigate the damage and restore organizational stability. Whereas micromanaging is generally seen as bad because it stifles morale, autonomy, and innovation among employees, this term paper explores the use of micromanaging as a situationally appropriate tool for leadership during crises. It uses organizational control theory and contingency leadership models to argue that micromanaging at specific key points can help people make better decisions, be more precise, and keep things from getting worse in high-stakes scenarios. The paper puts micromanagement in the setting of crisis management models like Fink’s Four-Phase Model and Mitroff’s Crisis Management Model, focusing on when it works best during the preparation and response stages. Then, it talks about practical ways leaders can spot things that need close attention, such as making the best use of resources, ensuring rules are followed, and getting the word out. For that reason, it shows how important it is to switch from micromanaging to more flexible, team-based ways of leading to encourage new ideas and strength during recovery. Micromanagement is reframed here as an active, task-oriented tool that can be positive if applied judiciously in treading the treacherous landscape of a corporate crisis.
Keywords: Micromanagement, Crisis Management, Leadership Strategies, Contingency Models, Organizational Stability